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Der fliegende Holländer
This performance of Der fliegende Holländer offers a tantalizing glimpse into a golden era at the Vienna State Opera—when the company was a revolving door of world-class singers and conductors. Leonie Rysanek is at her absolute peak, delivering Senta with radiant vocal power and an uncanny ability to capture the character's sense of awe, especially in the Act II duet with the Dutchman.
Heinz Imdahl brings a robust, commanding baritone to the title role. While vocally impressive, he doesn't quite delve into the psychological torment of the character. Gottlob Frick makes for an affable, warmly sung Daland, Hans Beirer offers an ardent and emotionally invested Erik, and Ruth Hesse is luxury casting as Mary. Fritz Wunderlich's pristine, lyrical Steuermann is perhaps unmatched—made all the more poignant by the fact that he died just four months later. André Cluytens draws rich, expressive colors from the Vienna Philharmonic, shaping the score with nuance and breadth.
That said, the recording is not without flaws. The sound is somewhat distant, there is static at the top of Act II before Senta's aria, and a significant portion of the Act II Senta/Erik duet is missing. Still, the artistry on display makes this a valuable and moving document.
Track List
Act I
1. Ouvertüre
2. Hojohe! Hallojo! Hojohe! Ho
3. Mit Gewitter und Sturm aus fernem Meer
4. Die Frist ist um
5. He! Holla! Steuermann!
6. Wie? Hör ich recht? Mein Tochter sein Weib?
7. Südwind! Südwind!
2. Hojohe! Hallojo! Hojohe! Ho
3. Mit Gewitter und Sturm aus fernem Meer
4. Die Frist ist um
5. He! Holla! Steuermann!
6. Wie? Hör ich recht? Mein Tochter sein Weib?
7. Südwind! Südwind!
Act II
8. Summ' und brumm', du gutes Rädchen
9. Johohe!... Trau ihr das Schiff im Meere an
9. Johohe!... Trau ihr das Schiff im Meere an
Act III
10. Steuermann! Laß die Wacht!
11. Johohoe! Johohoe! Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!
12. Was mußt ich hören?
13. Verloren! Ach! verloren!
14. Mein Kind, du siehst mich auf der Schwelle . . .
15. Wie aus der Ferne
16. Wer du auch seist und welches das Verderben
17. Verzeiht! Mein Volk hält draußen sich nicht mehr
11. Johohoe! Johohoe! Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!
12. Was mußt ich hören?
13. Verloren! Ach! verloren!
14. Mein Kind, du siehst mich auf der Schwelle . . .
15. Wie aus der Ferne
16. Wer du auch seist und welches das Verderben
17. Verzeiht! Mein Volk hält draußen sich nicht mehr
Customer Reviews
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4.3
Based on 4 reviews
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Exciting Performance, Uneven Sound!
The basic sound of this recording is not terrible. The voices, while slightly recessed, emerge from the sonic haze clearly and on pitch. But - and it's a big but - the tapist who recorded this could or would not keep still, knocking the mic around annoyingly. There is a weird patch of static almost all the way through the beginning of Act 2. This wasn't a broadcast - what happened? One can still hear the performance, but it is irritating. There is a switch to what sounds like another source just as the Ballad begins and all is well. The entire Senta/Erik scene in Act 2 is missing. The recording begins again at Daland's entrance so we miss Rysanek's primal shriek when she first sees the Dutchman - is nothing sacred? Other short bits are missing too.Nevertheless, those who love Rysanek should invest in this set. Her final high B is cathartic and definitely one for the record books. Imdahl is a very good Dutchman while Frick's Daland is sturdily sung with that immediately identifiable voice of his. It is a true luxury to have Wunderlich as the Steersman (I encored his song). Hesse and Beirer are both great though their performances are compromised by the sound quality (Hesse) and missing music (Beirer). Cluytens leads a fiery performance. Not for first-time listeners then, but fans of the singers will still find much to enjoy here.
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✓ Verified Buyer
Austria
✓ Top Reviewer
David McKee
This is strictly for diehard fans of the singers involved, Leonie Rysanek. She is in glorious, finishing the opera with power to spare -- and conductor Andre Cluytens indulges her in some wonderfully prolonged high notes in the final pages. Heinz Imdahl's solid, case-hardened Dutchman is a pleasant discovery and Hans Beirer does well by what's left of his part ... the entire Act II duet is missing. Fritz Wunderlich's Steersman is self-recommending but Gottlob Frick seems to have been having an off-night. The chief drawback, besides several gaps in the recording, is the extraneous noise. It reaches intolerable levels in the Sewing Chorus but thankfully abates for Senta's ballad. Andre Cluytens is, as ever, an enlivening presence on the podium.
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Germany
